Locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat
In the case of a locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat, with a first (3) and a second tray table part (5) that can be moved around swivel axes (25 or 37), different from one another, between horizontal use positions and non-use or stowed positions, closing parts (43, 47) are assigned to the two tray table parts (3, 5) and can be adjusted relative to one another in an active position, in which they close with respect to one another to keep them from raising a tray table part (3) in a use position.
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The invention relates to a locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat, with a first and a second tray table part that can be moved around swivel axes, different from one another, between horizontal use positions and non-use or stowed positions.
Of course, in seats that are provided for passenger service in means of transport, attempts are made to provide additional elements on the seat that afford additional comfort for the seat occupant. This applies in particular in seats that are suitable for extended travel periods, for example in ferries or in particular passenger aircraft. With respect to this, it is prior art to provide tray table parts that can pivot, which, brought into their use position, can be used, for example, as a dining tray table table, or, with smaller tray table surfaces, can form a stand for drinks as a so-called cocktail tray table table.
To ensure a reliable and trouble-free handling of tray table parts in such tray table systems, as well as to secure an appropriate tray table part in a certain position or use position from pivoting, the possibility of locking the tray table parts must be provided.
With respect to this, the object of the invention is to make available a locking device that is distinguished by an especially simple type of design.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by a locking device that has the features specified in claim 1 in its entirety.
In that, as specified in the characterizing part of claim 1, both tray table parts are assigned closing parts that can be adjusted relative to one another in an active position, in which they close to keep them from raising a tray table part, said tray table parts can be secured especially simply and reliably in their use position.
The locking device according to the invention is suitable especially in tray table systems in which a first tray table part that is recessed in its stowed position in a shaft of a console that limits the seat to the side can be removed from the console to be moved into the use position and can pivot around an axis that is located on the console and that runs in a direction of travel/flight. By means of the locking device, it is ensured in such tray table systems that the tray table part, which is provided, for example, as a dining tray table, and which is pulled out upward from the console and then is swung downward into the horizontal use position, is not unintentionally or inadvertently folded upward.
In such seat systems with the shaft located in the seat console, a tray table flap that covers the shaft of the console in the use position and releases the shaft in the non-use position can be provided as a second tray table part and can be pivoted around an axis, which is located parallel to the axis of the first tray table part and offset with respect to the console against the center of the console.
In addition, the configuration can be designed such that the first tray table part between a first use position, in which it is oriented to the shaft of the console, is adjacent to the lateral edge of the tray table flap in the use position, and, forming a lateral extension of the tray table surface, can be moved forward along this lateral edge in the direction of travel/flight into the second use position. Such a shifting of this tray table part, the dining tray table, can be used for the purpose of combining this tray table part with another additional tray table part, which can be folded down, for example, from the rear of the seatback of the next front seat in the horizontal position. The combination of the dining tray table with this additional tray table part that is supported by the front seat makes it possible to make available to the seat occupant an especially large tray table surface as a working surface.
In such systems, it is especially important, by means of the pertinent locking device, to ensure that the tray table part that can move forward, the dining tray table, can only be raised and pivoted upward when it is located in its rear starting position that is not moved forward, the first use position. With respect to this, in an especially advantageous embodiment of the locking device according to the invention, the configuration is designed such that the closing parts assigned to the tray table parts based on the moving of the first tray table part (the dining tray table) from its first use position can be adjusted relative to one another in their active position. Thus, it is ensured that the first tray table part can be swiveled upward only in the position that is aligned with the shaft of the console.
The first tray table part can be pivot-mounted on a support arm on the console for its shifting movement between the first use position and the second use positions that were moved forward, whereby the closing part that is assigned to the first tray table part is mounted below the tray table surface of the first tray table part on the support arm and can be moved between the active position and the inactive position.
This closing part can be a locking element that is pivot-mounted, configured between the support arm and the underside of the first tray table part, and that, when pivoted to a position corresponding to the active position, works with a second closing part forming a seat that is provided on the tray table flap to form a closure.
In an especially advantageous way, in this connection, a carrier element that projects in the direction toward the support arm can be provided on the underside of the first tray table part, and said carrier element, when the first tray table part is moved out from the first use position, moves the locking element back into the active position, and during retraction into the first use position moves the locking element back into the inactive position. As a result, the control of the locking device is virtually automatic by the moving forward of the first tray table part activating the locking and by the locking device being inactivated, i.e., the closing state being ended, when retracting this tray table part into the use position.
Below, the invention will be explained in more detail based on the embodiments shown in the drawing. Here:
As later explained in more detail, the dining tray table 3 can be moved forward from the first use position shown in
The articulated support 23 can be moved corresponding to the double arrow 27 (
As mentioned, the dining tray table 3 can be shifted relative to the support arm 21 in the direction of the double arrow 27 (
The first use position of the dining tray table 3 is shown in
Since the dining tray table 3 is in the horizontal position outside of the area of the safety bracket 39, the dining tray table can be moved forward, for example to bring it up to the additional tray table 15.
A spacing element 55 that projects from the support arm 21 is located between the underside of the cover plate 45 and the support arm 21. The latter assists both in lifting the tray table flap 5 when the support arm 21 is pivoted upward and also in forming a spacer that, by defining a predetermined distance between the underside of the tray table flap 5 and the adjacent surface of the support arm 21, ensures that, in the use position, the surfaces of the dining tray table 3 and the tray table flap 5 are at the same level with respect to one another, with no height distance between them.
If the dining tray table 3 is moved back again into the starting position or the first use position from the position, shown in
In this configuration, when the tray table flap 5 is folded downward, the tongue 77 engages with the groove 73 only if the dining tray table 3 is in the first use position. If the dining tray table is moved forward from the first use position, the tongue 77 runs into the groove 73. If an attempt is now made to raise the dining tray table 3, the groove 73 and the tongue 77 engaged therein then form closing parts to lock the tray table elements to keep them from being raised. In other words, the dining tray table 3 can be raised only in the retracted first use position.
Claims
1. Locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat, with a first (3) and a second tray table part (5) that can be moved around swivel axes (25 or 37), different from one another, between horizontal use positions and non-use or stowed positions, characterized by closing parts (43, 47; 73, 77) that are assigned to the two tray table parts (3, 5) and that can be adjusted relative to one another in an active position, in which they close with respect to one another to keep them from raising a tray table part (3) in the use position.
2. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein a first tray table part (3) that is recessed in its stowed position in a shaft of a console (1) that delimits the seat to the side can be removed from the console (1) to be moved into the use position and can pivot around a shaft (25) that is located on the console (1) and that runs in a direction of travel/flight.
3. The locking device according to claim 2, wherein a tray table flap (5) that covers the shaft of the console (1) in the use position and releases the shaft in the non-use position is provided as a second tray table part and can be pivoted around an axis (37), which is placed parallel to the axis (25) of the first tray table part (3) and is placed offset with respect to the console (1) against the center of the console.
4. The locking device according to claim 3, wherein the first tray table part (3) between a first use position—in which it is oriented to the shaft of the console (1), is connected to the lateral edge of the tray table flap (5) in the use position, and forms a lateral extension of the tray table flap surfaces—can be moved forward along this lateral edge in the direction of travel/flight into the second use position.
5. The locking device according to claim 4, wherein the closing parts (43, 47; 73, 77), assigned to the tray table parts (3, 5), can be adjusted relative to one another in their active position based on the moving of the first tray table part (3) from its first use position.
6. The locking device according to claim 5, wherein the first tray table part (3) is mounted on a support arm (21) that can pivot on the console (1) for its shifting movement between the first use position and the second use position, moved forward.
7. The locking device according to claim 6, wherein the closing part (43) that is assigned to the first tray table part (3) is mounted below the tray table surface of the first tray table part (3) on the support arm (21) and can be moved between the active position and the inactive position.
8. The locking device according to claim 7, wherein as a closing part on the support arm (21), a locking element (43) is provided that is pivot-mounted, configured between the support arm and the underside of the first tray table part (3), and that, when pivoted to a position corresponding to the active position, works with a second closing part forming a seat (47) that is provided on the adjacent lateral edge of the tray table flap (5) to form a closure.
9. The locking device according to claim 8, wherein a carrier pin (51) projecting in the direction toward the support arm (21) is provided on the underside of the first tray table part (3), and said carrier pin, when the first tray table part (3) is moved from the first use position, moves the locking element (43) back into the active position and during retraction into the first use position moves the locking element (43) back into the inactive position.
10. The locking device according to claim 8, wherein when the locking element (43) is in the active position, the closing parts (43, 47) work to form a closure to keep both the first (3) and the second tray table parts (5) from being raised from the respective use positions.
11. The Locking device according to claim 5, wherein the closing parts have a groove-tongue guide (73, 77) between a first tray table part (3), on the one hand, and a tray table flap (5), on the other hand, along which guide the first tray table part (3) moves forward in its shifting movement from the first use position.
12. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein the groove-tongue guide has a tongue (77) that projects from the edge (75) of the first tray table part (3) and extends in the direction of movement and a groove (73) located on the assigned edge of the tray table flap (5), which are offset with respect to one another in the direction of movement of the first tray table part (3) such that no mutual engagement of tongue (77) and groove (73) is provided in its first use position, but the latter are inserted in one another in the shifting movement.
13. The locking device according to claims 4, wherein the first tray table part (3) in a forward shifted second use position can be combined to form an enlarged tray table surface with a third tray table part (15), which for its part can be brought into a use position extending far from the rear side (17) of the seatback of an adjacent front seat.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 7, 2006
Publication Date: Jun 28, 2007
Applicant:
Inventor: Ulrich Strasser (Ravensburg)
Application Number: 11/634,844
International Classification: A47B 83/02 (20060101); A47B 39/00 (20060101);